ROWLETT, Texas — The Lake Pointe Medical Center conducted training drills for hostage and armed assailant scenarios in conjunction with the Rockwall County EMS, Emergency Management, Rowlett Fire Rescue, Police Department, and Emergency Management.
ROWLETT, Texas — The Lake Pointe Medical Center conducted training drills for hostage and armed assailant scenarios in conjunction with the Rockwall County EMS, Emergency Management, Rowlett Fire Rescue, Police Department, and Emergency Management.
The drills, which were held on December 5, 2014, are conducted a few times a year, according to a hospital release. “The hospital holds training drills to ensure the readiness of their staff should a similar incident occur in the facility or community,” stated the release.
“As emergency preparedness staff says, it is not if, but when an incident will happen,” continues the release. “Practicing on a regular basis helps keep the staff prepared to respond appropriately to ensure the safety of patients, employees, and the community.”
The drills began with City of Rowlett Emergency Management Specialist Ed Balderas, MPA, sending out community notifications via social media.
The scenario involved the following hostage/armed assailant situation:
· Joe Olsen, LPHN Volunteer, and Linda Fugitt, Rowlett PD, played the boyfriend and the victim/girlfriend/wife who were transported to the Lake Pointe Emergency Department (LPED) by Rockwall County EMS.
· Chad Caldwell, City of Rowlett Community Services Officer, assumed the role of the husband attempting to gain access to his wife from the LPED waiting area and create the hostage situation.
· Hospital was placed on lock down and all incoming patients were placed on divert.
· Rowlett Police Department and Rowlett Fire Rescue set up a staging area and took over command using tactical techniques to secure the Emergency Department and hostage situation. Simulation and transfer of three patients to other Lake Pointe facilities was conducted.
· Lake Pointe Emergency Departments in Forney and Wylie attempted to transfer patients to the main ED by local EMS and had to be rerouted to Texas Regional Medical Center because of lock down. Todd Loper from ETMC EMS coordinated these efforts with LeaAnn Bobbitt, RN, Forney/Wylie Emergency Department Manager.
Rowlett Emergency Management CERT volunteers acted as victims/patients during the drill.
